The number of private rental homes decreased in 2024 by 3,000 to 1.18 million homes. In the previous three years, the private rental sector was still growing. There were more rental homes from housing corporations (10,000) and owner-occupied homes (66,000) added.
Private rental homes can be owned by natural persons (individuals), limited liability companies and public limited companies (companies) or other non-natural persons, such as foundations and associations. The number of rental homes owned by companies increased in 2024 by 12,000 to 419,000. The number owned by foundations and associations grew by 7,000 to 235,000. The number of rental homes owned by individuals decreased by 22,000 to 529,000 homes.
The decrease in the number of private rental homes mainly results from sales and other ownership transitions to the owner-occupied sector. This amounted to a net 23,000 homes. Additionally, a net of 5,000 rental homes from individuals transitioned to rental homes owned by non-natural persons (companies, housing corporations, and other organizations). Due to additions and withdrawals (such as new construction, demolition, and split or transformed homes), the number of private rental homes increased by nearly 6,000 homes. Non-natural persons acquired 34,000 newly added homes and the owner-occupied sector nearly 30,000.
In Utrecht and North Holland, more than 5 percent of rental homes from individuals transitioned to the owner-occupied sector. In Zeeland and Limburg, the share was the smallest at just over 2 percent.
In the four major cities, the balance of transitions from rental homes of individuals to the owner-occupied sector was highest in Utrecht (6.0 percent) and lowest in Rotterdam (3.9 percent). In The Hague, it was 4.8 percent and in Amsterdam 5.0 percent.
